


A Mortal Sacrifice

by kamikaze43v3r



Category: Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Difficult Decisions, Gen, Genichiro as the Divine Child, Genichiro-centric, Light Angst, M/M, Past Child Abuse, Romance, Self-Sacrifice, Senpou Temple, Tragedy, Unresolved Emotional Tension, the title is a warning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-12
Updated: 2019-12-11
Packaged: 2021-01-29 03:06:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21403141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kamikaze43v3r/pseuds/kamikaze43v3r
Summary: AU where Genichiro was taken and raised/made into the Divine Child of Rejuvenation. He is the only surviving Divine Child, and even reached a decent age. The Shinobi of the Divine Heir comes along seeking the Mortal Blade and tells him of the Divine Heir's plans to sever immortality.Certain choices have to be made."Do what must be done."
Relationships: Genichiro Ashina & Kuro | The Divine Heir, Genichiro Ashina/Sekiro | Wolf, Kuro | The Divine Heir & Sekiro | Wolf
Comments: 21
Kudos: 84





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a pretty short and straightforward story. I've had this idea for a bit though I changed the story here and there, and eventually felt that this one would be most suitable if they were given these roles from the beginning. I think it's my first time working on something more emotional than heavily story and plot based, so I hope you will enjoy it still.
> 
> Many thanks to [Vigils](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vigils/pseuds/Vigils) for being my beta reader!! Don't forget to have a look at their stories too!

“Forgive them, for they only wish to keep me hidden,” the man’s voice, the same as the one from the painting before when he first stepped foot on Mount Kongo, says. Wolf stands before the folding screens to see the portraits of the monkeys with their backs facing him. He’s passed the test. But the man’s tone is not pleading, nor is it soft or apologetic. Instead, there is a bit of arrogance in his voice. However, Wolf pays no heed to such things. 

The same voice instructs him to close his eyes, and once he does so, his body feels light, as if he is floating, but it is only a momentary sensation. When he reopens his eyes, Wolf finds himself in the middle of what seems to be a courtyard with a decent sized outbuilding. 

A waterfall cascades clear waters behind the building, the pool’s surface glittering with sunlight and fallen orange leaves. It feels like an otherworldly sanctuary, even more so than the Halls of Illusion. Where the Halls of Illusion felt like a dream-like realm in the clouds, this place feels like it is in set in reality, yet completely isolated and protected in its own separate world. It is hard to describe, but it gives Wolf a sense of peace. Sensing no threat in the surroundings, Wolf walks towards the pavillion and enters the single room with the open doors.

The lonely figure of a person with their back towards them is sat in front of a large, brightly lit altar. Wolf approaches carefully, and the person slowly turns.

A man with long black hair streaked with white, draped in pale brown robes similar to the monks of the temple, greets him with a silent gaze. His eyes are intense, his expression severe. His stature is also imposing, with broad shoulders, and his upright posture gives him an even more of a dignified and commanding aura. The man looks more like a general than a simple monk.

“You are in the Inner Sanctum,” the man says. He turns to face Wolf properly and regards him with a suspicious look. “What is your purpose here?”

“I seek the Mortal Blade,” Wolf straightforwardly answers.

“You know of the blade that cannot be drawn?” the man asks. Wolf nods, and the other sighs, almost irritably. “It is called as such, for none who has drawn it has survived. Yet, you still wish to attempt? Do you tire of living?”

The man’s way of speaking is formal, yet the words he speak are rather sharp and rude. Wolf pays no heed. 

“I have a mission to fulfill,” Wolf simply replies. 

The unnamed man gazes at him with assessing eyes. He turns to the side and draws out a box.

When he opens it, the box reveals the blade Wolf had been searching for. This blade is sheathed in red, and a strange sort of power exudes from it. It is both dangerous and abhorrent, like death and blood, but Wolf is used to both. For his young master, there is no point in hesitating. 

Wolf picks it up and draws the sword without hesitation. He drops to the floor, dead.

The seated man does not utter a word as he looks to the corpse, only wearing a face of exasperation and pity. He puts his hands together in prayer.

But Wolf’s body is basked in the divine light of resurrection, and he stands alive once more. The man’s eyes widen in surprise as he looks up at the person who takes the blade in his hands again. Their eyes meet.

“I see. You are cursed with the Dragon’s Heritage,” the long-haired man concludes. The surprise he had earlier has dimmed to what seems like resignation.

Wolf inspects the weapon and nods. It is truly the Mortal Blade. Wolf declares as he studies its red glow, “I accept its power.” The shinobi sheathes it and straps the weapon to his back. 

“From your clothing, I assume you are a shinobi. I take that you serve the Divine Heir?” the unnamed stranger asks. He’s schooled his features, expressing nothing. Wolf nods in answer. “I believe I have heard of this Divine Heir. He is but a child… Did he send you here?" 

“I sought the sword to retrieve the Dragon Tears from the Divine realm, in order to sever immortality,” Wolf answers truthfully. Although his tongue is sharp, the man had not been hostile and there is no reason to hide the truth from him. As this person held the Mortal Blade, he may have more information for Wolf. Said man takes in the answer and wears a thoughtful expression. 

“A child, but he begrudges the power of the Dragon’s Heritage,” the man murmurs to himself. “He is a wise one.” Wolf nods. Lord Kuro is a mature and compassionate young man. “It makes me wonder what has he gone through to have reached such a conclusion…”

Wolf continues to stare at this unknown stranger. All this while, this person with the monk robes and white-streaked hair reminiscent of the Divine Heir has yet to introduce himself. As if having heard Wolf’s thoughts, the man looks over at Wolf and answers his silent question.

“...I am one of the children - results of the Rejuvenating Waters, created to be the false equivalent of the true Dragon’s Heritage. I am sure you have seen the abominations of the worm in the temple.”

Wolf has indeed seen them. Mummified corpses that remain living, hosts to vermin. He connects the two together, and realises. They are creating such things for the sake of immortality? And even… “Children? There are more of you?”

“There _ were _ many. I am the only one to have survived this long,” the man replies impassively. “They call me the Divine Child.” His words hold a scornful tone, but he shrugs it off. “The others who did not survive are laid to rest here.”

“I see,” Wolf replies. It is no wonder he’s seen countless jizo statues along the mountain. He has heard rumors of disappeared children. This must be where they ended up. Looking at the Divine Child once again, now a child only by name, Wolf realises their work on creating a false Divine Heir must have started many years ago. The Divine Child is a man who appears to be the same age as Wolf, perhaps just a few years younger. Despite that, the man looks to be in decent shape, though Wolf is unsure if his large stature is due to his bloodline or is the result of the Rejuvenating Waters. The man looks well, even imposing and intimidating. It makes the shinobi wonder how the monks manage to control such a strong-looking man.

Reminded of the monks, he recalls the skeletal priest who sat before the Buddha statue in the main hall of the temple. When he had spoken to the priest, the corpse-like figure had beseeched Wolf to give an old, fraying text to one whom they call the Divine Child of Rejuvenation. Wolf had glanced through the passage, but did not fully understand it. It is not for him after all. 

“This is for you,” Wolf passes the book to the Divine Child. The man had looked perplexed by the sudden offer of a book to him, but he recovers himself and accepts the text. He looks through it quickly, eyes widening slightly as he reads it.

“Who gave this to you?” the man asks, a look of subtly restrained anger on his face. 

“I was told to give it to you by the monk in the main hall.”

The Divine Child does not say anymore. He closes his eyes and lets out a breath as he sets the book aside. “You have my thanks for giving this to me.” 

Wolf nods. But there is nothing else for the shinobi here, since he’s gotten the blade and passed the text. He excuses himself to take his leave. Before he does so, however, the Divine Child stops him.

“Halt, Shinobi of the Divine Heir,” the Divine Child calls out and beckons him to where he sits. “Come closer.”

Wolf raises a brow, but he obliges and lowers himself to kneel down before the other man.

“Hold out your hands.”

Wolf does so, wondering what the other is up to. 

The Divine Child closes his eyes and murmurs in prayer with his hands clasped, “Bless us with bountiful harvests." His voice is low but smooth, like the silk fabric that wraps his large frame. His closed eyes slowly open to reveal eyes that are not quite blue, and not quite grey. The Divine Child pours out a handful of pure white grains into Wolf’s open palms. 

“This is… rice?” Wolf asks, puzzled. 

The Divine Child makes an amused face. “Have you not seen rice before?” he scoffs and shakes his head. “This is rice of life’s blood. It is a precious thing, do not waste it. It will be of help to you should you need strength and vigor in dire times.”

The shinobi is starting to find himself amused by the man’s bluntness. While a little curious about the connections of said rice and blood, Wolf keeps the grains away but feels the other's eyes on him. The man's gaze is heavy. Wolf cannot get used to calling him the Divine Child when he's clearly a grown adult, and one far larger than himself. He is still rather thrown by the appearance of the taller man with intense eyes, handsome features, and long black hair streaked with white tied neatly behind his back. 

_ The Divine, then _, Wolf thinks. His eyes are certainly of that quality, entrapping Wolf since he first met the other’s gaze. “...I thank you.” 

The Divine nods. “...Should you need aid, you may return here.”

Wolf is rather surprised by the offer, but appreciates it nonetheless. He leaves, and finds himself thinking of the man more than once...

\-----

The rice that the Divine gifted him had saved him in a tight situation, and the grains had been unusually sweet. 

Rice has always been a luxury, not something a shinobi like himself often gets to eat when he is usually out on the field for his missions. 

The flavour of the rice lingers on his tongue, while his mind wanders back to the man in the Inner Sanctum. The Divine had cut a lonely figure sitting by himself in the room. Despite the sharp tongue and the severe expression, the long-haired man still presented him with the Mortal Blade and even blessed him with rice that revitalised him. 

He returns a second time to the Inner Sanctum. The Divine is still seated in the same spot, eyes closed and body still, as if in meditation. When Wolf steps into the room, the Divine greets him with a flat look, neither welcoming nor hostile. Wolf hadn’t expected either.

“Does your offer to aid me still stand?” Wolf asks. The Divine gives a brief look of annoyance, but it could also be a look of embarrassment.

“You need more rice?” the Divine surmises. 

Wolf nods and kneels in front of the man. “Please.” 

He holds out his palms and the Divine pours rice into them from his clasped hands. They are still pure white and glistening. Wolf has seen rice, but never grains of such pure quality. He wonders if they are indeed of divine origin, if the Divine, even with the man-made immortal blood running through him, has some connections with the gods. He is curious, but does not want to pry and earn the man’s ire. It may be a sensitive topic.

“Bless us with bountiful harvests,” the Divine prays.

Wolf stores the rice away carefully, like precious treasure. It may save his life next time. The shinobi looks up at the Divine and notices the slight change in the other man’s complexion. His brows are pulled in a slight furrow and his skin seems rather pallid. With his slightly heightened senses, Wolf can tell the man is breathing a little heavier as well. Does providing Wolf with rice sap away at the Divine’s strength?

Recalling what the Divine had said before, that rice is of life’s blood. It is likely that the man is losing his own in order to produce such grain. There is a slight twinge of guilt in the shinobi, a rare emotion for him to feel. 

Seeing that Wolf is still staring at him, the Divine inquires, “Is there anything else you need, Shinobi of the Divine Heir?”

Wolf takes out something from one of his pockets. A fruit, the size of his fist, bright orange-red in colour. A persimmon.

“I found this, you may have it,” Wolf offers. The Divine blinks at him in surprise, his expression of someone completely taken aback. It is an almost child-like expression that reminds Wolf of Lord Kuro.

The Divine, however, appears hesitant to accept it.

“Take it, in return for providing me rice. Persimmons are sweet,” Wolf insists. The Divine reaches out to take it from Wolf’s hand. His fingertips brush Wolf’s skin, and finds that they are unexpectedly rough. Like the hands of someone who has been doing physical training. Wolf wonders if the Divine hides a body of strength and skill under the layers of silk clothing.

Technically, the Divine is also of the temple. It may not be so surprising if the monks had him trained as a warrior monk as well.

The man stares at the fruit. It’s smaller in his hand compared to in Wolf’s. The man is larger after all. But the Divine continues to stare at it peculiarly.

“Is there something wrong with it?” Wolf asks. As if brought out of a stupor, the Divine blinks and looks up at Wolf. 

“Oh - no. It’s just that I have not eaten a persimmon in a while,” the Divine says. His face softens. “...Thank you.”

The Divine takes a bite of the fruit. It is clear that he has a liking to it, not pausing as he takes numerous more bites. Wolf watches the Divine enjoy the fruit, his thin lips glossy from its juice. He makes a note to bring him more persimmons.

“...That was good,” the Divine comments, wiping his lip with his thumb. He seems to be trying to make himself look proper again. He clears his throat and thanks Wolf again. “You are welcome to return here for the next harvest.”

And Wolf makes full use of the promise.

Even when the Divine does not have the next harvest of rice available, Wolf returns to the Inner Sanctum to drop off more persimmons. The other man had seemed perplexed by Wolf’s constant return, but he gets his share of his favourite fruit. With each visit, the Divine’s expression is softer and more welcoming. Wolf thinks he even catches a glimpse of a smile.

The shinobi lingers around longer and longer, sometimes striking up conversation with the man even though neither of them are men of many words. Sometimes he consults the Divine about certain things pertaining the Dragon’s Heritage. 

At one such instance, it brings them back to the topic of Wolf carrying out his mission of aiding his young lord in severing immortality. It is a solemn subject, though it seems to be especially more so for the Divine than for Wolf himself.

"Shinobi of the Divine Heir, do you know what such a path leads to? Are you prepared for it?" 

Wolf knows, and he can only do as his master asks. While he may have broken the Iron Code, he remains faithful to his young master, and thinks of his will as absolute. At least, his master had not betrayed him…

Lady Emma has also offered an alternative, albeit reluctantly, ever since he’d eavesdropped on his young master. The alternative, however, would mean the cost of his own life. That, he is willing to give up. The Divine Heir is young, he has a life before him. It would only be right.

The other Divine stares at him thoughtfully, as if looking for an answer in his face. After a moment, he proposes an offer.

"It is possible for me to take away the undesired result." Wolf's eyes widen. He frowns at the Divine but is interrupted before he can ask. "There is a way that neither of you may die, although at another cost." 

That means none shall die? Wolf is suspicious, but he knows nothing of the ritual. What is the cost?

“Will it bring you harm?” Wolf asks carefully. The Divine does not change his expression.

“I honestly do not know. There exists a method, but one that’s only been recorded and not successfully carried out. It is all suggestion and theory. However, is it not worth the risk in order to save your young master while fulfilling his request?”

That is true. "I will consider it,” Wolf replies. And after a moment, he adds, “...Why would you take on such a task for strangers?"

The Divine casts his eyes down. His thin lips press together in thought. It’s a look that would make others think the man as handsome, even attractive to Wolf. There is a sorrowful, almost delicate beauty to the Divine as he gets lost in thought. The Divine finally answers after a moment too long.

"I merely ask for someone to remember my real name, and what I have done," says the man. Wolf had not expected such an answer, even though he didn’t know what to expect in the first place.

“Then, may I ask for your name?” Wolf asks as respectfully as he can. The sad smile that graces the other man’s features makes Wolf’s breath hitch.

“I was named Genichiro.”

\---------

My portrayal of Genichiro as the Divine Child of Rejuvenation. [Follow my main twitter for some art!](https://twitter.com/kamikaze43v3r)


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta'd by [vigils](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vigils/pseuds/Vigils)!

Genichiro sits across from the tree in the middle of the Illusionary Hall. He dangles his feet off the edge, mind lost in thought. He likes spending time here, where it is peaceful, quiet, and isolated. The cloudy mists that veil the compound adds to the dream-like feeling the area provides. It makes him sleepy, allowing him to lose himself from reality.

His siblings - the other Divine Children who had not survived - whisper in his ears and offer words of soothing comfort. From what he knows, only he can hear their voices. Sometimes he thinks he has just gone mad and their voices are a product of his own imagination. But he has accepted that may not be so, and likes to believe that they are still with him. 

Either way, for many years, it has been like this.

He is alone.

The only monk present in the hall is also like a ghost. Though sometimes he converses with Genichiro, he usually keeps to himself, content in staying in meditation to get ever closer to nirvana. 

Genichiro wonders how some people can be so faithful and committed. He wishes he can do the same. He feels like he's fleeting, an existence that's neither here nor there. The suffering he went through as a child experiment is now almost like a distant, horrible nightmare, but the scars are deep and they still itch.

His siblings settle around him. Their spirits remain young, frozen at the age they had been when they died. It is not an enviable thing. He is grateful to be able to age, albeit at a much slower pace thanks to the power of the Rejuvenating Waters. Time also goes by slower in the Inner Sanctum. At times, he wishes it would accelerate just so he would wither away faster and crumble into dust. 

But the shinobi who managed to pass the test of the Illusionary Hall had broken the stagnant peace when he requested the Mortal Blade. 

The Shinobi of the Divine Heir: a serious looking man, loyal and determined as he drew the sword without hesitation for the sake of his master. One would think of him as admirably loyal.

Genichiro thinks he is a fool. It is only because he has the curse of the Dragon's Heritage that he is able to act so recklessly. 

But the shinobi had been rather kind. To gift him with persimmons and visit him once in a while amidst his missions with the thinly veiled excuse of obtaining more rice. They have even shared persimmons together at Genichiro’s insistence. It was then that the Divine learned that the shinobi likes sweet things as well. It makes the man appear more human, and Genichiro had not spoken to someone his age in a long while. It feels a little less lonely. 

The shinobi shares with Genichiro the Divine Heir’s plans, and answers whatever questions Genichiro asks of him. He replies patiently as Genichiro asks the shinobi about his master, his possible future actions, and what the Divine Heir is like. Through the shinobi, Genichiro learns more about the Heir, who is apparently no older than twelve. Still so young and innocent, yet with the mature thinking of the future. Clearly the boy is kind as well, wanting to save the people from the temptation of his Heritage’s power. It is a power that leads men to corruption, a line which Genichiro suspects the shinobi parrots from his young lord.

The Divine Heir begrudges the Dragon's Heritage. Genichiro had been in the same position when he was younger, resenting the fact that he and his siblings were used, tortured, even killed for the sake of achieving immortality. What even is the point of eternal life? 

But now as an adult, he is… indifferent towards it. He may even understand why fickle mortals would want to keep on living. It is just that for him, there is no purpose to live eternally. For others, maybe, there is fear of the end and losing everything. 

Genichiro thinks over the severing of immortality. Having read about it some time before from one of the temple’s texts, he knows the costs of such an act. Either the Heir or the oathbound will have to die in order to cut the ties to the Dragon. He’s read the text in passing years ago, but he recalls that there is another ritual which involves a third party. He had not paid much heed to it then, but it would certainly be of help now.

Genichiro never expected that he would come across such a situation in his lifetime. The existence of the Divine Heirs has always felt like a myth, even when Genichiro knows he was fashioned after them. 

While war is looming over Ashina, the monks of Senpou Temple in Mount Kongo continue their lives without regard to the lording clan. Naturally, Genichiro has ended up taking on the same apathy towards happenings outside of the mountain. 

The temple exists separately from the worldly matters of man, but with what the monks are doing right now, it would be hypocritical to take such a stand. Their aim is everything to do with worldly desires; they have abandoned Buddha’s teachings. 

And now, he is the result of their awry path. 

The Divine Heir wishes to sever immortality. It is for the best, on that he agrees. 

But he’s had a feeling ever since the Shinobi mentioned the Heir’s will, that he will lose something precious. Could this be a possible connection between him, the Divine Child of Rejuvenation and the Heir? Even though he is a mere copy… it seems being Divine in title is not the only thing they share. However, would carrying out Immortal Severance end all of the problems? The Dragon is eternal, and no matter what, as long as the Dragon exists in Ashina, so will the Waters and the temptation of eternal life. It may only be a temporary solution.

His siblings whisper to him,  _ Are you really considering taking that path? _

The path of Releasing the Dragon’s Heritage was mentioned in one of the scriptures. That may be the answer to what the Divine Heir hopes to do. 

“But if I were to take this path… I may have to leave all of you,” Genichiro whispers. He thinks about it, considering many factors. “However, the Divine Heir... he is still young. Unlike an old man like me, there is more in life for him in the future.”

The children murmur amongst themselves, their chatter quiet and fleeting in the sound of the wind. 

“The Shinobi? He is… quite kind, yes -”

“Hello?”

Genichiro clams up, feeling his ears heat up. He turns to face the Shinobi of the Divine Heir who had snuck up on him so quietly and clears his throat. “Shinobi of the Divine Heir. I did not hear you enter.”

The man’s eyes subtly scan Genichiro’s surroundings. “Did I interrupt something?”

“No, not really,” Genichiro replies. “Have you decided on the path you will take?” 

The shinobi approaches closer to the Divine, lowering himself to one knee before the man. “Yes, I would like to discuss it with you.”

The shinobi’s gaze is steady. It pulls Genichiro to him, not wavering his own gaze from the man’s eyes. There’s a different strength to them each time he visits. Genichiro can see the change in him, as if he’s gone through many things. He is sure the man has died numerous times. With the power of his lord’s blood in him, he can resurrect, but Genichiro would know personally how that would break down one’s spirit. Yet it seems that such hardships have only tempered the other. And it’s all for the sake of his young master.

Genichiro is quite envious.

“I have decided to accept your offer to go through with the alternate ritual you spoke of,” the shinobi tells him. “Even if immortality is severed, there are still many dangers in this world that I as his shinobi would have to protect him from. For that… I should be by my lord’s side.”

Genichiro does not comment on the other’s desire and loyalty. He merely replies with a small smile. “Then, in order to begin on that path, I will need your help. I am uncertain of the full steps needed to carry out the ritual. Will you help me seek the High Priest of the Temple? He may have the text with the scriptures for it. Last I heard of him, he has secluded himself somewhere in this mountain where it is hard for anyone to reach. But you, a shinobi, may be able to access this hidden place.”

The shinobi nods agreeably and moves to seek the scripture. But not without leaving another bright red persimmon by Genichiro’s side.

The Divine Child finds himself smiling as he picks up the fruit and lays it on his lap. The smile however, after a moment, turns sorrowful. 

\--------

When Wolf returns with the scripture in hand, the Divine is in his usual place in the Inner Sanctum. His back is facing the pavilion’s entrance. The man appears to be praying.

Every time Wolf is here, all he sees is the lone figure of the Divine. It’s a sight that somehow touches him in a different way, but he’s unsure what is it about the man that affects him so much. Is it pity? Does this Divine remind him of his young master the Divine Heir? No, they are both far too different, nearly complete opposites. Where his young lord is soft-spoken, the other man is harsh even with his choice of formal words. Where the Divine Heir is enthusiastic and compassionate, the Divine gives off a sense of apathy and resignation.

But still, the Divine hides a kind side to him under the gruff and arrogant demeanour. Wolf is familiar with hiding one’s true emotions. He has been trained to do so as a shinobi, after all.

He remembers the Divine telling him his name.  _ Genichiro. _ It suits him, in a sense. Elegant yet powerful like a bow, with piercing eyes. Wolf wonders how old the Divine was before he was taken by the monks. Wolf had not dared to use the name the Divine had confided in him. He had not shared his own moniker with the Divine, and it is far too soon and intimate, Wolf feels, for either of them to begin calling the other by name. Wolf doesn’t know if the Divine even minds being called that name. It may be a reminder of a past he doesn’t wish to recall, even if he had kept it. 

Sometimes, Wolf catches the faraway look in the Divine’s gaze, the quiet conversations he seemingly has with himself but also possibly with the lingering spirits of the other Divine Children who had passed on. Wolf doesn’t ask about it.

He approaches the Divine who seems to sense his presence, opening his eyes from deep prayer to look up at him. Wolf's brown eyes meet the Divine's grey. 

“I found the High Priest. He was dead,” Wolf informs him. 

“...What? He was infested with the worm, how could he have..?” the Divine looks disturbed. Wolf had found the Priest’s corpse in a nearby cave, skeletal and surrounded by dead monks. Though they appear mummified just like the corpses in the temple, these ones are void of any vermin. Wolf had discovered the note hidden within the High Priest’s robes.

“I do not know. However, he left this note,” Wolf hands over the text. The Divine takes it from Wolf and quietly reads it. Wolf had taken a quick look at it, but he was unsure of the content as it was written cryptically. It is likely that only the Divine may understand it. 

The Divine skims through it and once he is done reading, he keeps silent. The silence is heavy and his facial expression stormy. Has the note told the Divine of something bad about the ritual? Wolf appreciates the help that the Divine is offering, but if the cost is too great, he is reconsidering accepting the man’s offer. 

“What is it?” he carefully asks.

The Divine does not answer, seemingly deep in thought. After a moment, he slowly looks back to Wolf.

“Shinobi of the Divine Heir… I am confined to the Inner Sanctum, but it is mostly out of my own will to isolate myself from the outside, and especially so from the temple. Like the monkeys, I keep myself here to protect myself by the grace of the Enlightened One. But after reading this text, I believe that I would need to step out of my cage.”

Wolf listens, but he does not understand what the Divine is saying. The Divine sighs and has that faraway look in his eye again. Wolf feels like reaching out to hold him, keep him in place so he doesn’t fade away. He keeps his hands to himself.

“I would like to meet with your master, the Divine Heir.”


	3. Chapter 3

It has been many years since Genichiro has ventured out of the Inner Sanctum.

When he took that first step out of the temple’s compound, there was a strange feeling to it, but it was rather anticlimactic. The Shinobi of the Divine Heir escorted him out of the temple and Mount Kongo patiently.

They had made their way to Ashina castle without much problem, although it appeared that the shinobi had gone out of his way to find a more direct but discreet route. Many dangers were in the way, and though Genichiro has heard of them, he hasn’t seen the creatures and abominations that crawl about the mountain.

The shinobi is a good guard. Genichiro can tell he takes extra precaution and care as he watches his ward. The Divine Heir is truly fortunate to have such a protective retainer. While Genichiro has the skills to protect himself, the shinobi disposes of any threat faster than one’s eye can catch.

The journey carried on smoothly until they reached the castle in a much shorter time than expected. The shinobi led him up to the top of the tower with the Ashina soldiers giving way to them. 

“I have returned, my lord,” the shinobi greets as they enter the main room at the top of the castle. There is an altar in the middle, and Genichiro sees a young boy with short bobbed hair with streaks of white. This must be the Divine Heir. To the side, there is a woman who appears unassuming and quiet, but Genichiro senses something from her as well.

The Divine watches on as the shinobi kneels before the Divine Heir. The lord is young but has the bearing of a dignified prince. He strikes an impressive figure despite his small and rather frail size. Just his gaze holds a maturity comparable to adults he’s seen. Genichiro guesses that the Divine Heir is probably the same age as he was when he was taken by the monks and lost his name.

They discuss some things between themselves before the young boy looks to Genichiro’s direction. The Divine Heir looks up at him and smiles in greeting. A young Prince but still far too innocent. The Divine pities him, almost. 

"I am honoured to meet you, Divine Child," the Heir addresses and introduces himself, "I am the Divine Heir of the Dragon’s Heritage. You may call me Kuro. I hope Wolf has treated you well.”

“He’s been fine,” the Divine replies simply. Genichiro thinks for a moment, glancing at the shinobi. His name is Wolf? That… seems apt. “My name is - was - Genichiro. I am the Divine Child of the Rejuvenating Waters.”

The Divine Heir, Kuro, smiles innocently. His eyes seem to marvel at the similar hair they share, the white markings and streaks that seem to be a common trait amongst those touched by the Dragon’s Heritage. “May I call you Master Genichiro? I feel like it is rude to refer to you as a child, even if it is your title..." 

Genichiro stares at the boy who fidgets a little under his gaze. He glances to the shinobi who remains stoic by the side, watching them both. Their eyes meet momentarily, but in that moment, he catches the shinobi's encouraging nod. Genichiro looks back to the Divine Heir and allows it. Kuro beams. He looks excited at the prospect of having someone similar to him.

"I thank you for your courtesy and hospitality, Divine Heir -... Lord Kuro," Genichiro says, correcting himself. Exchanging names. How odd. The Wolf continues to observe him quietly. The woman who stands quietly by the side is also introduced to Genichiro as Ema, a female doctor. She looks sharper than a mere healer, but Genichiro makes no comment on that. 

Wolf, the shinobi, returns to the field to continue his mission. He is left alone with the Divine Heir and the lady doctor. But Ema, also leaves them occasionally to tend to her master who is in another tower of the castle.

It’s an awkward silence between them. Genichiro is not good with children, at least not with those whom he is unfamiliar with.

“I have heard about the Divine Children of Rejuvenation from Wolf,” Kuro speaks up first, cutting the awkward tension between them. “I am sorry for the things that have happened to you.”

“You’re not the one who should apologise, even if you are the model we were shaped after,” Genichiro says plainly. He sees the hurt on Kuro’s face but the boy quickly smooths it, nodding.

“Yes, that is the reason why I wish to end this curse of immortality. So that no one would do any more harm to attain it,” Kuro continues. He is determined. Genichiro nods; he can see why the shinobi Wolf would be so loyal and protective of the boy.

After a moment’s hesitation, Genichiro calls out to the boy.

“Lord Kuro, hold out your hand.” He takes up a gentler tone, akin to the one he often uses with his siblings. The boy does so, looking curious. Genichiro places a small cloth bag in his hand. “A gift for you.”

The Divine Heir blinks at the bag and opens it after an encouraging nod from the other. He opens it to find pure white rice grains, but seemingly scented with flowers. Kuro’s smile spreads into a grin, his eyes sparkling. “This… it’s rice? Ah, it smells and looks good… Each grain glistens… I am sure it would taste sweet! ”

Genichiro smiles a little, pleased that the boy is knowledgeable of the quality and purity of the rice. “You should eat it when you are feeling unwell.”

“Thank you…! I am grateful,” Kuro quickly adds, but with a thoughtful look, he asks. “Do you mind if I make something out of it? But I intend to make it for Wolf. Just… something nice for all the things he’s done for me.”

“Something… nice?” Genichiro hums in contemplation. “He might like something sweet.”

“Oh, is that so?” Kuro asks excitedly. “I’ve decided. Sweet sticky-rice balls then.” 

“You know how to make them?”

“Yes, I learned it a while ago. Ever since I was little, I’ve enjoyed making sweets. I used to always sneak into the kitchen back at the Hirata estate,” Kuro recalls with a nostalgic smile. “Maybe one day… I’ll open up a teahouse if I ever have the time.”

Genichiro watches the Divine Heir and doesn’t fail to notice the acceptance in the boy’s voice. He knows that the Divine Heir is aware of his fate should they take the path of severing immortality. It makes Genichiro clench his fists under his sleeves.

“Ah, excuse me. I hope I did not make you uncomfortable with such casual conversation, Master Genichiro,” the Divine Heir apologises, a faint, awkward flush to his young face.

“Not at all. I am flattered that you are comfortable enough in my presence to share your thoughts,” Genichiro replies bluntly. “A teahouse sounds nice. You are young. I would support you should you take on an endeavour in the future.”

The Divine Heir chuckles. “Is that so? Thank you, Master Genichiro. I am just glad to have someone… who is similar to me in some regard. I hope you don’t mind.”

Genichiro shakes his head. “Enough, show me how to make these rice balls. I would like to help you make them.”

Despite Genichiro’s gruff words, Kuro happily instructs and shows him the way to make the sweets. The two of them spend a good amount of time making the treat with the loyal shinobi in mind.

\-------

When Wolf returns, he sees both his young master and the Divine huddled together in front of an altar. It is a rather strange sight, seeing the large man and the small boy hunched over something, appearing to be focused on a task. 

The shinobi looks over to Ema, who is also watching them. She gives him an amused smile and encourages him to go over to them. 

"Ah, Wolf. You are back, " Lord Kuro stands and welcomes his loyal shinobi with a smile that hides mischief. The Divine beside him also turns to greet him, but remains seated and stoic. Wolf goes over to kneel before his master.

“I have returned, my lord,” Wolf replies. He takes out one of the ingredients his master had sent him out retrieve that can give them passage to the Fountainhead Palace. It is a red stone with spikes, the colour is a mix of pink and blood red, but at the same time it sparkles like crystal. The shelter stone.

“Good work, Wolf,” Lord Kuro praises. Wolf feels the Divine observing them, eyes on the stone Wolf is holding out to his master. One more ingredient, the Lotus of the Palace, and Wolf will be on his way to the Fountainhead Realm to confront the Divine Dragon for its tears. Another step towards severing immortality. 

The Divine Heir takes the shelter stone from Wolf and places it on the altar in the middle of the room. He catches his master look to the Divine and the other man gives him a nod. Lord Kuro turns back to Wolf.

“Loyal Wolf, come. Hold out your hand,” the Divine Heir beckons gently. Wolf does so obediently. A ball of sticky rice ball is placed on his palm. It has a sweet fragrance and the colour of red bean paste. 

“My Lord, what is…?” Wolf asks. Lord Kuro grins at him. 

“Sweet sticky-rice balls. I made them together with Master Genichiro. Eat it, don’t be shy!”

With the Divine? Wolf looks to the man, who avoids his gaze out of what seems like embarrassment. “Just eat it,” the Divine tells him. Wolf takes a bite from the rice ball.

The rich sweetness of the treat bursts on his tongue and sticks to his lips. It’s delicious. Wolf doesn’t stop with one bite. He eats it all but takes his time to savour it. The sugary stickiness of the rice ball remains on his fingers, but out of manners in front of his lord and the Divine, he refrains from licking the remnants and chooses to wipe them off instead.

“...How was it?” Lord Kuro asks him excitedly.

“It was delicious,” Wolf answers truthfully. Through its taste, he’d somehow sensed emotions of resolve and reluctance. It had also reminded Wolf of once when his father handed him a rice ball when he was starving as a child. Wolf catches the slight smile on the Divine’s face at his reply.

“I bet it was,” Lord Kuro laughs, appearing very pleased. “Master Genichiro provided the rice and we made it together. In a way, you have both our blessings.”

There is a warm feeling Wolf receives from that. He nods in appreciation, to both his lord and the Divine.

Before Wolf leaves to retrieve the next ingredient, the Divine calls out to him.

“Shinobi of the Divine Heir, I would like to discuss something with you.”

Wolf observes the Divine who is sitting by the sliding doors of the library. Wolf has seen the man by the bookshelves, focused on reading with his brows pulled together in concentration as his eyes drink in the contents of the book in his hand. Wolf thinks he appears not much different from his own young master. Eager to learn and absorb knowledge. Perhaps it is common for those who are trapped within walls to work their minds instead of their bodies.

But Wolf can tell that the Divine is hiding strength in that large frame. He may hide it under layers of clothing of the monks, but he's held the man by the arm, felt the shape of his muscles. He must have been taught some of the ways of the warrior monks as well, perhaps. It's a thought that leaves the shinobi’s mind wandering.

The Divine calls out to him again, breaking the shinobi out of his thoughts. Wolf focuses.

“I see you are on your way to retrieve the Dragon Tears for the immortal severance. Thank you for bringing me to meet the Divine Heir. Meeting him in person has… answered some questions for me,” the Divine tells him. “Now, since you have chosen to take the path I have offered, I will need your help in acquiring ingredients for the ritual as well.”

“What do you need?”

“The ritual asks for the tears of the dragon that you will be acquiring. I will also need two persimmons of the serpent, and... this may be hard to acquire, but also blooming flowers from the Everblossom tree.”

“The flowers of the Everblossom tree… and… persimmons of the serpent?” 

“I believe it is said that the liver of a Great Serpent is stained red like a persimmon,” the Divine answers. “There is one in the Sunken Valley. As for the Everblossom… I’m afraid I don’t have much information on it, aside that one of those trees grew in Ashina. Where exactly, I do not know.”

While the Divine has given him information on the ingredients, he is tight-lipped about the ritual itself, and Wolf is not comfortable with that. He needs to know the risks if he is to take on this path that was offered to him. He believes has the right to know, and he expresses his thoughts to the Divine, who looks a little guilty.

“Pardon my lack of transparency. The ritual is difficult to explain, but I ask for your trust, loyal Wolf,” the Divine tells him. And Wolf stares at him, both sternly and in surprise that he used his name like that. But the plea is clear in the Divine’s eyes, and Wolf feels he has no choice but to agree. It is for the sake of his young lord after all, and his master is absolute.

“...Alright,” Wolf acquiesces.

“You have my gratitude.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, a bajillion thanks to [Vigils](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vigils/pseuds/Vigils) for being my beta! They made my story much better <3

“Wolf… I am relieved to see that you are safe. And Owl…?” Lord Kuro asks. 

“I nearly killed him… but he escaped.”

Wolf watches as his young master gasps and his expression breaks. He looks like he’s suppressing the need to cry as he apologises. Wolf had returned to him immediately after defeating the Great Shinobi Owl, his foster father. He had been tempted by the Dragon’s Heritage as well, and had sought to use his master. It had to be done. Wolf was almost successful in putting him down, but his father is a master of trickery, and managed to escape before Wolf could do so. It is unlikely his father will give up.

“To your own father… I am sorry…”

Wolf feels helpless seeing his master in distress like this. “I will do what has to be done, but he may return.” 

Lord Kuro nods and gathers himself. “Wolf… thank you.”

The Divine who stands behind his young master says nothing, only observing the scene before him. His face remains impassive and he offers no words of comfort or condolences to Wolf either. The Divine has seen death in all forms; learning that Wolf almost having to commit patricide would be nothing out of the ordinary.

The shinobi presents the gathered ingredients that he’s collected to open up the passage to the Fountainhead realm.  The latest of these is the Everblossom branch. When Lord Kuro had spoken of its theft many years ago, Wolf had had no clue where to acquire it. It is clear now that his own father was the culprit. The Owl had dropped the branch as he escaped after the duel.

Wolf puts thoughts of Owl away and brings his attention back to his master. 

"We can now complete Fountainhead Incense. We are one step closer to our goal of severing immortality," Lord Kuro says, still both relieved and sad. He carries on to instruct Wolf in placing the ingredients into the censer that had been prepared. 

Shavings of the shelter stone, petals of the lotus and pieces of the dried Everblossom tree are mixed together in purified water within the incense burner on the altar. The final ingredient needed would be the blood of the Divine Heir. With the Mortal Blade, the Divine Heir can be made to bleed. 

Wolf is hesitant about this. He does not like to see his master harmed, even if it is just a cut. Seeing the reluctance from Wolf, the Divine steps in. 

"Pass me the Mortal Blade," the Divine says. Wolf is reluctant, especially to be handing over a weapon. “Fear not, Shinobi. I will make sure he won't be gravely harmed.”

He looks to his master who gives him a reassuring smile. Lord Kuro tells him, "It's alright, Wolf. I trust the Divine. Master Genichiro and I have discussed this beforehand."

_ Discussed this?  _ Wolf doesn't know what his young lord is speaking of, but the two of them must have spoken of the ritual for the Fountainhead passage while he was away. He wonders if they've spoken about the alternate ritual the Divine offered. Wolf had kept it from Lord Kuro, not confident that he would take part in it if there are risks involving others. Especially risks for the Divine. 

Wolf meets the Divine's eyes and sees certainty. He nods and unsheathes the red blade from its scabbard and offers it up to the man. 

"It will only be a shallow cut on his chest," the Divine tells him, but Wolf is still worried. 

"Then, please close your eyes, Wolf," Lord Kuro requests. Wolf has to oblige. He closes his eyes but his hearing senses is heightened. 

There's the rustling of clothes and Wolf can feel the red Mortal Blade and its power humming nearby. 

The Divine whispers to the Heir, "Are you ready?" 

"Yes."

A gasp, followed by a soft, pained hiss. 

A momentary pause of silence, and then the rustling of clothes once again, presumably to drop the blood into the incense burner.

Wolf thinks he catches someone whisper very softly, “Did you take it?” but he could not match whose voice it would belong to. But it goes forgotten when a strange, light aroma wafts from the censer. 

Wolf hears the Divine's clear voice, "It is done."

“You may open your eyes, Wolf.”

Wolf opens his eyes and looks over to his young master. "How is the wound?" 

"I'm fine, see? Just a shallow cut," Lord Kuro assures him, pointing to what is a small cut on his chest. True enough, it is a mild injury, but it still bothers Wolf. 

"... Thank you for your help, Divine," Wolf says to the other man. The Divine nods silently. He looks a little pale. Is he averse to the sight of blood? 

But before he can ask, his young lord speaks. 

"So this is the aroma of Fountainhead Palace? It is… extraordinarily nostalgic,” Lord Kuro mutters in a half-daze. The Divine takes the incense and infuses it to Wolf’s clothes, sprinkling the fragrant water onto him.

“Well, do you feel any different?” the Divine asks. Wolf thinks for a moment.

“The aroma… and Fountainhead Palace… these words have been burned into my mind.”

Wolf proceeds to explain the next step. The altar that held the shelter stone had engraved instructions on how to proceed. He will have to return to the cave where he had acquired the shelter stone.

“I see… You now carry the aroma of the Fountainhead Incense. I believe the path leading to the Fountainhead Palace will open before you if you get to the shrine within the cave. Immortality shall soon be severed. I am counting on you, Wolf,”

Wolf excuses himself to make preparations for the journey to the palace. But first, he approaches the Divine where he has returned to where he usually is, seated by the library bookshelves.

Wolf kneels before him and presents two serpent hearts, one fresh, one dried. The long-haired man takes them and holds them in his lap, staring at the two organs. A silence hangs over between them. It feels tense, but Wolf is curious, wondering what the Divine would do with the serpent viscera, but it appears that the other man is reluctant to share much information.

“Thank you for acquiring these for me,” the Divine says instead. “I can’t imagine the hardships you must have gone through to even go against the old gods of the land.”

Wolf says nothing, but he appreciates the concern from the Divine.

“...I shall keep these for the ritual. I will inform you of the progress.” The Divine puts them aside in a cloth bag and changes the subject. “I saw that you acquired the Everblossom branch earlier.”

“Yes, but it has dried. There are no flowers on it,” Wolf tells him.

“What the ritual asks for are the flowers. I have looked through the books but I have found no leads to help you with this,” the Divine says to him regretfully. 

“...It’s fine. There must be a way,” Wolf assures him. It earns a slight smile from the Divine. Wolf can’t help but stare. He brings out another persimmon. It is slightly larger than the ones before, and its colour even a brighter shade of red.

A Taro persimmon. 

“...Master Genichiro, this is for you.”

The Divine stares at him with an expression Wolf hasn’t seen before. He looks like he doesn’t know what face to make, and ends up scowling instead. Wolf realises he’s used the man’s name instead of his title. Wolf thinks he should apologise for his rudeness, but at the same time he doesn’t want to.  _ Genichiro _ had rolled off his tongue easily. At the same time, the other man has called him by name as well, hasn’t he? 

However, the Divine does not further express his thoughts on it, focused on the persimmon instead.

“This is… very ripe. It must be sweet,” the Divine comments. He appears like a child eyeing candy. Wolf, feeling bold, reaches out to take one of the Divine’s hands and places the fruit on his palm. Wolf was never one to initiate physical contact in the first place, so he doesn’t know what took hold of him to do so.

But he does know he’s had the urge to reach out to the Divine since spending time with the man in the Inner Sanctum. That ever lonely figure the Divine presents had touched a kindred feeling within the shinobi. 

However, he had not thought of the consequence of his actions. Wolf feels the Divine’s hand freeze in his, but Wolf is firm yet gentle in his grip. At least, the other man has not rejected his touch.

Not wanting the Divine to pull away, Wolf quickly explains his action.

“This is a gift for looking after my master,” Wolf confesses. “And for the rice ball.”

There’s a slight colouration to the Divine’s cheeks and his brows furrow deeper. The hand in Wolf’s relaxes. “The Divine Heir did most of the work. I merely provided an ingredient.”

The Divine finally slips his hand away, albeit lightly, clasping the fruit with both hands. “Nonetheless, thank you for the fruit, always.”

Wolf simply nods. They talk a little more about Wolf’s next task - to acquire the Dragon Tears. Wolf still has to acquire the Everblossom flowers, but he spoke of confronting Ema and a Sculptor who may know of a way.

Genichiro sends him off with another harvest and puts the Taro Persimmon aside.

As the shinobi leaves, Genichiro watches his retreating back. There is still the lingering scent of blood from the presented viscera. According to the scriptures left by the High Priest, the Divine Child would have to consume them, and it warns the reader of the changes one would go through upon the consumption.

In need of fresh air and privacy to his thoughts, Genichiro goes over to the doorway opening onto the roof. He steps out and inhales the air. It is not as sweet and refreshing as the air at Mount Kongo. Here, the air has a trace of smoke and gunpowder. It is unfortunate, but expected.

As the guest of the castle, Genichiro is allowed to roam the grounds and he may find a better place, but he likes it here on the roof a little away from others. From this height, he can see the soldiers and troops on the ground in their patrols and different positions. With the patrolmen, guards and fortified walls, the castle is prepped for a siege. But can Ashina herself survive?

Genichiro watches the troops patrolling, some taking a break and chatting. He spots some ninjas on the roof as lookout as well, dressed in feathers, straw coats and masks. It makes him wonder of the lives of all these people, willing to serve and protect their home. So many things to see and people to meet. Genichiro feels overwhelmed. 

How many years has he locked himself away in the Inner Sanctum? He does not regret it. But at the same time…

When his mind settles back on the Wolf, Genichiro feels an ache in his chest. He’s seen the determination, the fierce loyalty of the shinobi, and especially his compassion. When he thinks of the Divine Heir and his shinobi together, he sees a bond deeper than that between a lord and retainer. Maybe something familial, which is something Genichiro had lacked. It would be a shame for such a bond to be severed due to fate. 

The shinobi had chosen his path, and so did the Divine Heir. If Genichiro can do something, finally, and put his cursed blood to use… he might as well offer it up for those who deserve it.

When Genichiro returns to the library, he looks to the young Divine Heir across the room. The boy is reading another book studiously, while the female doctor stands beside him, watching and guiding. He’s seen the the elder lord who had dropped by to check on them as well, and though it was a momentary meeting, Genichiro had a decent impression of the man. 

Genichiro has only met these people for not more than a day, but they had all been… accommodating. Friendly. He almost feels guilty that he enjoys their presence over his siblings in the Illusory Hall. 

Genichiro retreats to a hidden corner of the room and meditates.

The Divine closes his eyes and inhales, recalling the words his siblings had whispered to him. When he opens his eyes as he exhales, he brings out the fresh viscera of the serpent and bites into it.


	5. Chapter 5

There is a pain that takes hold of his body, from his throat to his chest to his stomach. He feels cold, like he’s freezing from the inside out to the point he is shivering and his teeth chattering. He hugs himself, fingers digging into the fabric of his clothes and even to his flesh. 

_ It’s so cold… _

He shuts his eyes, teeth chattering uncontrollably. He hears the concerned voices of the Divine Heir and the doctor around him. He thinks he can hear his siblings too, even though he is far away from them, far from Senpou Temple that was both his home and prison for many years. He can feel their touch, their concern, but they cannot provide the warmth of a living body. Distantly, he craves the warm sweetness of the persimmons the Wolf brings him.

He feels like he’s dying and the cold, overwhelming him like sharp needles pricking everywhere on his skin, reminds him of the centipedes that once crawled over his paralysed form. Back then, he had been unable to move, could only lie there and listen helplessly to the muffled screams of his siblings as the monks proceeded with their experiments. 

He wanted to yell, he wanted to scream.

He wanted to get up and take revenge on the monks. 

He wanted to make the monks stop hurting them.

_ He wanted to kill them all but - _

He couldn’t do anything. His body and will broken. Some of them couldn’t survive.

Genichiro opens his eyes. His vision swims, foggy and unfocused. His cheeks are wet with tears, but they are frozen, like droplets of ice. 

The Divine Heir calls out to him, but Genichiro can only see a hazy shape. “Master Genichiro, what happened!”

Genichiro is against the corner of the room where he had hidden himself to consume the viscera out of the others’ view. He must have made enough noises to have alerted the Divine Heir and the doctor for them to come looking.

“What have you done?” Ema asks. He feels gentle hands touching his wrist. But they retract with a gasp. “Your body… it’s freezing.”

“Master Genichiro,” he hears the Divine Heir’s voice, thick with worry. Genichiro licks his lips and finds them chapped, still covered in dried blood from the two organs of the serpent. Genichiro refuses to answer their questions. He’s mostly nauseous.

The cold and dizziness he’s experiencing have yet to alleviate, and his tongue is numb from the taste. Genichiro realises his vision is still unfocused. He blinks furiously, but it does not clear. 

A cold body and poor vision, reminiscent of a serpent. This must be the transformation the scriptures mentioned. 

He shivers. Genichiro rummages through his robes blindly until his hands finally find the Taro persimmon the shinobi had given to him. The colour of the fruit is bright enough for him to make out its shape. At least, his eyes can see  _ something _ even if there is no clarity to them.

He wonders how the Wolf would look to see him in this state. A shame he wouldn’t be able to see it now, Genichiro laments.

“Let me rest,” Genichiro finally speaks, leaning forward. He loses consciousness the moment he utters those words, the voices of both the doctor and Divine Heir muffling as he sinks into slumber.

He hears the whispers of his siblings amidst the darkness.

_ We are all with you _ .

When Genichiro wakes again, his eyes are open but everything is still foggy. He can at least make out that he is laid in some room. He turns his head to the side and sees a seated figure. From the colour, and shape, it must be the Shinobi of the Divine Heir.

“What did you do?” Wolf’s voice fills his ears. He sounds upset.

“I see you have come back. How long have I been unconscious?”

“Not long. Lady Ema was laying you down just as I returned,” the Wolf answers.

“Ah, the doctor. I hope I did not worry the Divine Heir too much,” Genichiro says.

“My lord was disturbed. He wanted to know what you had done and inquired about the blood.”

_ Blood?  _ Oh, he must be referring to the viscera he’d consumed. It had been a little messy. Genichiro refrains from answering the shinobi.

“Did you manage to retrieve the Dragon Tears?” Genichiro asks instead. He blinks slowly. He can’t see the man’s expression and Genichiro doesn’t like it. He waits for the man’s response, but the shinobi remains quiet. Genichiro can sense the Wolf’s mood, an equally petty response to his own refusal to answer him. 

Genichiro sighs and looks up to the ceiling. He explains nonchalantly, “The ritual consists of me, the Divine Child, consuming the serpent hearts in order to become the cradle. It is a crucial part of saving the Divine Heir’s soul.”

The silence after is for the information to sink in. After some time, Wolf murmurs, “Your eyes…” When Genichiro looks to the side again, he sees the shape of the shinobi moving. He feels fingers on his cheek. Warm fingertips against his cold skin. “This is the cost…? You are… too cold...”

“Are you concerned for me, Shinobi of the Divine Heir?” He forces himself to smile. He sighs and sits up. He closes his eyes and feels tears accumulate and trail down his cheek. Genichiro hears the Wolf make a noise of concern at the sight of his tears, but the Divine reaches up to collect them.

“Look, Wolf. My tears freeze as they flow down my face. Take them, they are referred to by the text as ‘Cold Dragon Tears’. They are important,” Genichiro urges. He passes the frozen droplets to Wolf, who takes them gently from his hands. 

“...Thank you,” the shinobi finally replies. After a moment, he informs Genichiro, “I have reached Fountainhead Palace, but yet to retrieve the Tears. But, I managed to acquire the flowers.”

“Flowers of the Everblossom Tree?” Genichiro asks.

“Yes.”

“How did you… never mind. It matters not how you acquired it. It must be fate that allowed the flowers to come to your possession,” Genichiro muses. He focuses on Wolf again. “We are one step closer to the full ritual. Listen close, Shinobi of the Divine Heir. When the time comes, the Divine Heir must drink the Frozen Tears and consume the Everblossom flowers together with the Dragon Tears of the realm. Do you understand, Wolf?”

It takes some time for the other man to answer. Genichiro senses some unease in the air.

“...Wolf?”

“Master Genichiro,” the use of his name in the shinobi’s voice startles Genichiro a little. “What is the full cost of this ritual?”

“Rest assured, it is of no cost to you or your master,” Genichiro tells him. 

“But it is at your expense, is it not?” the shinobi answers back. He is speaking in the same flat tone, but Genichiro can hear the concern in his voice. 

“When I offered you the new path, you took it for the sake of your master, did you not? You should hold strong to that loyalty and stand by your decision,” Genichiro reminds him. “I am a mere experiment, and one who shouldn’t have existed in the first place. There is no place for immortals in this world, when all it does is tempt humans to seek such power through terrible means.

“Once this ritual is complete, there would be no more Divines for people to exploit. No more children to be taken away by monks. If that is possible and within my capabilities, should I not take that chance? You chose your path, Wolf of the Divine Heir, and I have chosen mine.”

Genichiro sees movement from the other again. Despite the blurred vision, he can perceive the Wolf’s slow nod. Having the other man acknowledge and accept it feels… freeing. Genichiro had not realised he’d been holding his breath.

“How do you feel?” Wolf asks.

“Just a little cold and dizzy. Nothing I haven’t gone through before,” Genichiro’s hands start searching again, looking for the persimmon he’d held before he lost consciousness earlier.

“Here,” Genichiro feels the cool bone of the shinobi’s prosthetic wrap around one of his hands. The Taro persimmon he was looking for is placed in it.

“...I was looking for that,” Genichiro mutters.

“I know.”

Genichiro eats the fruit while the Shinobi of the Divine Heir watches. At first it is rather awkward and quiet, but the company is much appreciated. Genichiro finds that being alone while lacking his vision makes him feel more uncomfortable than before. Having the shinobi’s warmth nearby is reassuring. The sweetness of the juicy fruit revitalises Genichiro’s weakened body, though he remains cold from the transformation. 

When he’s done with the persimmon, he thanks Wolf again.

“Earlier, you asked if I was concerned for you,” the Wolf suddenly brings up. “I am.”

Genichiro pauses, freezes in his position. He had not expected an answer. He makes a complicated expression and can only reply with, “I appreciate your concern.”

“Master Genichiro… I will return to the Fountainhead Palace and acquire the Dragon Tears,” the Wolf continues. “Until then, I ask that you stay safe.”

“...Of course, Wolf,” Genichiro replies helplessly. Somehow, promising such a thing feels ominous. But what is there to be afraid of? As he’s said earlier, this is the path he’s chosen. He shall stand by it. This time, he is the one who reaches out for Wolf’s hand, choosing to take the warm palm over the prosthesis. “Before you go… Bless us with a silvery harvest.”

Genichiro feels the hand in his shiver slightly. The rice that pours out of his hands are cold and fine.

“This is… It’s cold,” Wolf comments.

“Yes. With my body so cold, the rice shines with an icy gleam.”

“Like fine snow.”

“Like fine snow? You are truly a romantic, Shinobi of the Divine Heir,” Genichiro chuckles. “Then that is what we shall call it. This fine snow is yours. It is more potent than the rice before. I pray that this snow shall keep you safe.”

“I accept,” Wolf replies and puts away the harvest. But he returns to cup Genichiro’s hands with both of his own. It takes Genichiro by surprise, almost pulling away, but the Wolf holds onto him firmly. His touch is gentle, patient. It reminds Genichiro the first time the shinobi took his hand earlier to place the Taro persimmon in his palm. The first touch of another in a long time; he’s committed it to memory.

Despite the fact that the Wolf’s hands are smaller than his own and can barely cover his, Genichiro is warmed by the shinobi’s body heat. The comfort of it makes the Divine sigh in relief. They stay like that for a moment.

“You should go, Wolf,” Genichiro eventually coaxes, though he does not pull away. 

Wolf nods, yet his hands linger over Genichiro’s a while longer. The shinobi’s face is close enough that Genichiro can almost make out his features. He appears as reluctant to leave, but Genichiro cannot tell him to stay.

And when the Wolf finally makes his exit, Genichiro tries not to miss the warmth. He chooses to meditate instead. 

He has not prayed as much as he should in the time he’s aged in the temple. But this time, he prays to the Enlightened One for the smooth and swift journey of the Divine Heir’s shinobi, and for him to return in time safely, and with the needed Dragon Tears.

There has been an ominous feeling ever since he made the promise to the Shinobi of the Divine Heir, but at the same time, he is aware that Ashina is at war. There has been news of a siege. Perhaps that siege will come tonight.


	6. Chapter 6

Ashina is besieged by the Interior Ministry once dusk falls.

Flaming arrows set the outskirts and fortress of Ashina ablaze. Soon, the castle begins to burn. Sounds of clashing metal and agonised screams of soldiers ring through the land.

Genichiro remains in the Divine Heir’s room, together with Ema. The Lord of Ashina, Isshin, is in the room as well. Genichiro has heard stories of the Sword Saint, a legendary, almost mythical figure. The man who rebelled and took back Ashina. But that was years ago. While Genichiro's vision is poor now, he remembers seeing the lord earlier; a tall and lanky older man, who appears sickly with his thin and bony body, yet he still maintains a regal bearing. His presence commands respect and attention. Even Genichiro who is usually stubborn and cold towards strangers, can’t help but view the man in an admirable light.

They’d met before, momentarily. Lord Isshin had visited them in the Divine Heir’s room, and while he did not stay long due to his illness, from what Genichiro understood then, he is protecting the Divine Heir and attempting to aid him in escaping Ashina. It appears that the elder man foresees that Ashina will fall since he is no longer capable of protecting it, and would sooner have the Dragon Heritage escape than have it falling to the Ministry’s hands. After Owl's initial and failed attempt to sway the Heir to his favour, there is little Isshin can do in his current state. It is up to the Wolf to protect the Divine Heir.

“Master Genichiro, I believe we might have to run,” Genichiro hears the young boy’s voice say. Kuro sounds concerned, but his voice doesn’t waver. He is impressed with the boy’s bravery.

He hears Ema: “Lord Isshin, you shouldn’t push yourself…”

“Nonsense, this is my last duty,” the elder man says gruffly. Genichiro hears a blade being drawn. It seems that the lord is willing to fight till his last breath. “You, Divine, and Kuro, there is a secret passage near the reservoir. You must go there and escape. Do not let the Ministry capture you.”

“Lord Isshin… thank you for your help all this time,” the Divine Heir tells him. Genichiro doesn’t know what to say, or if he should even say anything. He has just been a guest in the castle for a short while.

He sets his misty sights on the tall figure in grey and can only nod. “May your path be filled with plentiful harvests, Lord Isshin. I shall protect the Divine Heir as well,” Genichiro promises as his hand is tugged by the Divine Heir. He hears the old man laugh.

Ema guides them to the door. She has to stay with her own master. 

As both Divines head for the secret passage, Genichiro wonders of the Wolf’s whereabouts. The way to the Fountainhead Palace is quite a distance away, and with the many obstacles one has to go through to reach the Divine Dragon, Genichiro assumes the journey is a difficult one. Is the shinobi safe? Will he return? Or has his duty only sent him to his death? But the Dragon’s Heritage courses through his veins. That is the blessing the Divine Heir has given him. His loyalty is equally strong and pure. He has probably resurrected countless times, no matter how much of his blood is spilled. Still, Genichiro worries.

“He will come back,” the Divine Heir suddenly says. Kuro turns to look at him while they’re hiding behind a wall to wait for the Ministry soldiers to pass. He repeats the sentence in a whisper, but there’s clear faith in his voice. Genichiro can only imagine the clarity in his eyes. “Wolf will return. He will not let us down.”

Genichiro responds with a slight smile. He believes that too.

They stick close to the walls to avoid being spotted. Soldiers of both sides clash all around them, bodies and scattered weapons littering the castle grounds. Just as they are about to tread past the bridge over the reservoir, a ministry agent ambushes them.

“Watch out!”

Genichiro’s vision is poor, he’s nearly blind; all he can see is a vague shadow of black and purple. But his body moves automatically as he senses danger and movement.

Genichiro was not made to only be the Divine Child, he was made to take on the martial discipline of the Senpou Warrior Monks as well. In between experiments, the monks forced their martial arts on him. They toughened and seasoned him so he would be able to survive their experiments with a stronger body.

The ministry agent kicks out towards Genichiro, who sidesteps and counters with an elbow strike, followed by a palm strike and a jumping kick. The attacks connect, taking the agent by surprise. Each hit pushes the agent back but he gets back on his feet quickly enough.

Genichiro urges the Divine Heir to hide. “Hide, hurry!”

The agent does not wait; he jumps towards Genichiro with his sword drawn. The Divine has been sheltered and locked away for a long time. His senses, while heightened, are faster than his body can follow due to his lack of practice. Genichiro narrowly dodges the attack from the sword slash, but the combo is followed by a flurry of kicks that manages to land, throwing the Divine back.

He can feel bruises forming where the attacks hit him, especially at his ribs. But with adrenaline pumping through his veins, he shakes the pain off, all thoughts in Genichiro’s mind are to protect the Divine Heir. If anything were to happen to the boy, wouldn’t the shinobi be distraught?

Genichiro breathes in to muster his focus and calm. He has no need for his vision when he can sense the palpable killing intent from the agent. He deftly avoids each kick and stab; he’s had his training beaten into him for years. He can do this.

Using the Senpou Martial Arts taught to him, Genichiro does a spinning kick as the agent jumps back. When the agent attempts another flying kick, Genichiro executes an anti-air leaping counter kick that knocks the Ministry agent into the ground. His large frame had thrown the other off guard, not expecting him to be as agile as he was. Genichiro is lucky to be facing a careless agent; he took advantage of that. The Divine pins the agent down with his foot as they land and crushes his throat with the other.

“Master Genichiro…” the Divine Heir comes out of hiding, sounding a little shaken.

“We must hurry. Please lead the way, Divine Heir,” Genichiro prompts the boy. It successfully snaps Kuro to focus.

“Yes, this way.”

Kuro leads him forward by the sleeve. Fortunately, no one else stops them from their route, but Genichiro knows nothing would go so smoothly without a hitch. The ominous dread he feels rises, causing discomfort in his gut. Just as they enter the secret passage, Genichiro stops Kuro.

The sounds of flames and war in the castle has quieted to muffled silence. The air is fresh, with barely any trace of smoke. It feels like they’ve come out onto the opposite side of the world. Yet, it all feels far too suspicious. 

“Get behind me, Divine Heir, I’ll stay in the front this time.”

The Divine proceeds forward into what seems like a field of silvergrass. With his poor visibility, he can only tread forward blindly, but Genichiro has quickly adapted to not relying on his sight. They take to the path that allows them to hide amongst the grass, but Genichiro thinks he senses another presence.

“Lord Kuro, run,” Genichiro whispers urgently.

“What?”

The rustling of grass breaks the silence of the fields. Genichiro picks the boy up and throws him out of the way as a sword comes flying down on the spot where Kuro had just stood.

Genichiro kicks towards the massive figure but his leg is grabbed and he’s tossed over like a ragdoll. Genichiro manages to land on his feet, but he knows this new opponent is the last person he should encounter. A giant man rises to his full height and pulls his sword from the soil. Genichiro cannot see him clearly, but this must be the Owl that both Lord Isshin and Wolf are protecting the Divine Heir from.

The Owl is fast. Much faster than anyone would expect a giant to move. He’s silent too, much like his namesake. Genichiro can barely dodge the man’s sword swings. He can feel the pressure of the blade cutting through the air. The Divine’s body is weakened and cold from the transformation, so he can’t exert his body. If he keeps this up any longer, he’ll be putting himself in and the Divine Heir in danger.

Slash upon slash, swing upon swing of the Owl’s sword is delivered towards him, but Genichiro is only able to dodge. He can’t even get a hit in with how aggressive his opponent is being. He lacks the reach of a weapon, and his speed can’t seem to match up with the Owl’s as well. The Divine is overwhelmed. He can only count on his heightened hearing and the invulnerability of his body that normal swords can’t harm him, but being hit can still hurt.

When he finally manages to create a distance between them, Genichiro is panting, catching his breath. He’s overexerted himself, his body feeling far too hot. 

“Hoh? My blade is not cutting past your skin,” Genichiro hears the Owl say. “I had intended to use that Blade only for the Heir, but it seems… you are another… interesting one.”

Genichiro freezes at what he’s heard. What did the man say about using another blade? From what Genichiro has read, he knows that there exists two Mortal Blades, one Red, one Black. The Red Mortal Blade was left in the temple for him to guard over. As for the Black… he has only heard that it was last wielded by the Sword Saint himself, but hidden somewhere after the rebellion…

Can it be that the Owl has gotten his hands on the Black Mortal Blade?

The Divine hears another sword being drawn. The feeling that arises in him when the weapon is brought out sends a shiver down Genichiro’s spine.

_We are all with you_. 

He hears his siblings’ voices. Even now, they are still with him. 

_I ask that you stay safe_.

Ah, Shinobi of the Divine Heir. 

“Forgive me, Wolf, but it looks like I can’t keep that promise,” Genichiro finds himself muttering. 

Genichiro sharply inhales. He charges forward, his body cutting through the grass and starts with a perilous grab. The Owl dodges it, but Genichiro presses on, executing several attacks. However, the Owl easily parries them all. Reading Genichiro’s movements, Owl grabs him by the elbow and pulls him down. He hears the Owl flip through the air over to his back, and before he can recover from his stagger, Genichiro feels the stab of a sharp pain in his torso.

Genichiro looks down but all he sees is a blur of dark shapes and a hazy outline of a sword pierced through his body. He feels liquid soak his robes. Even his blood is cold, so much so that he shivers. He tastes blood in his mouth, thick and coppery. Pain creeps through his body, agonisingly slow, as if it’s defrosting and blooming like a flower thawing from the snow. His senses are confused, his body both frozen and shaking from the pain. 

“Gen-!”

He hears the Wolf’s voice. Is it his imagination? He looks up. His poor vision doesn’t grant him the ability to see anything in the distance. It’s all just black and white fuzzy shapes. 

Genichiro wishes he can see the shinobi’s face at least once more.

And then the Owl slowly drags the blade out of him, more of his blood spurting out from his wound. It smells putrid; it reminds him too much of his dark past. Of dead children and horrific creatures. He gags on the stench and chokes on the blood that rises to his throat.

The Black Blade finally exits his body and Genichiro is kicked to the floor. He falls on his front, expecting to land into the silvergrass, until he hears hurried footsteps. Instead, he lands in warm arms and a touch familiar to him.

Ah, so he wasn’t imagining it at all.

“Master Genichiro…” he hears the shinobi call out to him.

The Wolf is here. He’s safe.

That’s all that matters.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a pretty short one. As always, many thanks to Vigils for helping me so much with this. And with this done, I shall work on my next project :)
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! Please visit my [writing twitter](http://twitter.com/r3v34kazekami) for threadfics or find out how to support me!

Wolf is late. He’s too late. He curses his inability to be by his master’s side.

When he returns to the castle and to his master’s room at the top of the tower, all he finds are bodies of Ministry agents and Ema looking solemnly over Lord Isshin’s body. His young lord and the Divine are nowhere to be found.

“Lord Kuro and Master Genichiro have gone to the secret passage,” Ema informs him. Wolf leaves her to mourn. Both his master and the Divine need him.

On route to the secret passage, he sees the body of an agent with a crushed throat. He feels some slight relief but he keeps going. He proceeds through the open door of the passage which leads to an open field of silvergrass.

He only takes a few steps forward when he hears Lord Kuro call out to him from the side, hiding by the tall grass. His young master looks unharmed. Safe. 

But - 

"Master Genichiro is fighting Owl!" 

It's what Wolf feared. He runs further into the field. He sees the Divine taking on his foster father. Wolf knows the Divine has been weakened, and his sight far too poor. He won't stand a chance. 

Before Wolf can even do anything, he watches as the Great Shinobi executes a flawless mikiri counter on the Divine. With an agility that betrays his giant stature, the elder shinobi flips over Genichiro's tall frame and lands behind him, where he stabs the Divine of the Rejuvenating Waters through his back. 

"Gen-!" Wolf can't even say his name, his voice stuck in his throat. He sees the other man's eyes blankly look in his direction, but he knows the Divine is no longer able to see. 

Owl pulls his blade out of the Divine's body and kicks him forward, blood splattering from the wound like flower petals in the wind. Wolf is there to catch him. 

His body is even colder now, that even holding the man with his bare skin is almost painful, like touching raw ice. His lips are already turning a slight shade of blue. Wolf knows it's due to the transformation, but it feels like he's already holding a corpse. He loathes the sinking feeling that accompanies that thought. 

"Master Genichiro…"

The Divine looks up at him and smiles. The blood that spills out from his mouth has already frozen, much like the tears before. 

"You are safe," the Divine whispers, sounding relieved. 

"I am here," Wolf replies, reassuring him. The Divine's face softens. There's no pain in his expression. He almost looks at peace.

“Behold, young Wolf! The Black Mortal Blade,” Owl reveals, forcing Wolf's attention away. He sees his foster father raise the weapon in his hand. A double-sided blade unlike a typical katana, with a lotus shaped tsuba. “A blade that can even cut down the immortal!” 

The sword’s edge is slick with the Divine’s blood. It makes Wolf see red.

“Master Genichiro…” Lord Kuro had run up to them.

“Lord Kuro, please bring Master Genichiro to safety,” Wolf asks of his master. The boy nods and gently brings the injured man away.

“Wolf,” the shinobi hears the Divine’s quiet call. He meets the man’s gaze. “Do what must be done.”

Yes. This time, he will make sure to put his foster father down.

Wolf readies his blade.

Owl grins at him.

\------

Genichiro opens his eyes. His vision has returned to him. But why…? 

He realises he is back in the Illusory Hall, but there's no one. No monkeys, no monk standing silently. 

He hears the familiar sound of children laughing. His siblings' laughter. Genichiro turns around. 

They are there. All of them. Smiling, happily. 

Genichiro chokes up. One of them steps forward and pulls him by the hand. It is then that Genichiro realises his body is of himself when he was younger. Small and frail. 

The other Divine Children walk with him down the hallway. One of the heavy doors that is supposed to lead to nowhere, opens. 

On the other side, is a battlefield. The land is littered with corpses. But there is one small figure amongst them.

A young boy, with two large swords upon his back. His long unkempt hair covers his face. Around his neck, a dirty linen scarf. 

He looks familiar. 

Genichiro doesn't understand why he is seeing this. 

_ Lord Buddha is merciful _ , he hears one of his siblings say.  _ Perhaps in the next life, we will all… _

In the next life…

\------

It took long enough, but Wolf defeats his foster father. Owl, the once Great Shinobi, is dead.

He turns a deaf ear to his former father's regrets and dying praises of his skill, and rushes to the Divine’s side. Lord Kuro is with him, face pale and expression tearful. The man in his arms is pale, fragile. He looks like he could crumble if he even moved. 

Wolf kneels by the man's side. Carefully, as gently as he can, he slips his hand in one of the Divine’s. He is still so cold, even more so than before. 

"Wolf?"

"I am here, Master Genichiro."

"You did it, that's good," the Divine says, his voice light. His eyes are fixed skyward, no longer moving. Wolf doubts he can see anything now. It's a revelation that pains him. 

_ You will be alright _ , Wolf wishes to say, but he is not one to speak much, especially of untruths. His voice remains stuck at his throat. 

"It is alright, Wolf," the Divine says instead. "Do you have the ingredients with you?" 

The Everblossom flowers and the Frozen Tears.

Wolf doesn't wish to answer. His young master looks to him questioningly. 

"Wolf, now is the time," the Divine tells him. 

"What… What does he mean, Wolf?" Lord Kuro asks. Wolf doesn't answer. He can't. 

"It is for you both, Lord Kuro."

"This… this is why you asked for my blood? You… you tricked me, Master Genichiro, how could…!" the Divine Heir breaks into a sob. "You said you needed my blood to protect Wolf!"

"And that is what I am doing," the Divine replies. He lets out a tired sigh and blinks slowly. "Please, hurry… It will all be for nothing if I die like this."

"You won't - Lady Ema!" 

"Lord Kuro. Divine Heir. Please," Genichiro implores. It is Wolf, however, who tightens his grip on the Divine’s hand. 

Wolf takes out the ingredients and offers them to the Divine Heir. 

"Wolf… you?" 

"... If it is to save my lord's life…" Wolf answers, though he cannot look at the boy in the eye. 

"But, Master Genichiro… and you…" the Divine Heir's voice trails off. He sounds even sadder. Perhaps he is taking in Wolf's sorrow in his stead. 

But eventually, his lord consumes both of the ingredients. Wolf sets Genichiro to lay down gently. The man is already still, chest barely moving. His eyes are still open, but they blindly look up into the sky.

"...It is done, Master Genichiro," Kuro informs the other quietly. 

"... Thank you," Genichiro responds. For a moment, the man's head turns to face Wolf, even his eyes land on him as if he is capable of sight once again. 

It makes Wolf freeze. He stares back at Genichiro, both their gazes meeting one final time. 

It feels like a moment of eternity, but it is still far too short. The Divine smiles and closes his eyes.

Though unspoken, Wolf understands the next step to the ritual. He wraps his hand around the handle of the Red Mortal Blade and recalls what the Divine has said earlier. 

_ Do what must be done.  _

He sinks the blade into Genichiro's chest.

Lord Kuro shivers and gasps, fainting as a bright pink glow wraps around his small body. The light accumulates over his chest before it floats over to the Divine, sinking right into the spot where the Mortal Blade has pierced Genichiro's body. 

The pink glow spreads over the man and slowly, it disperses.

As if summoned, a light breeze blows over them, rustling the tall silver grass. And seemingly from out of nowhere, bright, pink petals are scattered across the field by the wind. 

Wolf holds on to both bodies of the Divines as he watches the petals. One of them moves. The other does not. 

Lord Kuro inhales and rouses from his momentary unconsciousness. He blinks up at Wolf blearily before he seems to remember the prior events. 

"The ritual… Immortal Severance… It is done, isn't it?" 

It takes Wolf a moment to answer. "Yes, my lord."

The Divine Heir sits up and looks at the still body of the Divine Child. There is heavy silence before the boy musters the strength to speak, "Thank you, Master Genichiro."

As for Wolf, he remains silent. 

And he remains so as they bury the bodies of the dead once the war with the Interior Ministry dies down. 

They bury Lord Isshin. 

They bury Genichiro. 

Soon they will leave Ashina as planned. 

Lord Kuro speaks with Lady Ema while Wolf lingers over Genichiro's grave. He places persimmons and remnants of fine snow-like grains that Wolf hadn't used on the Divine’s headstone. 

He clasps his hands together, shuts his eyes and prays. 

He sees a fleeting vision of a young boy with long hair. He has a bit of a mean mug, but when he smiles, he truly shines. 

Perhaps, in the next life…

In the next life… 

Wolf opens his eyes and stares at the gravestone. He says nothing, and goes to join his lord.

**Author's Note:**

> Visit and follow [my writing twitter account](http://twitter.com/r3v34kazekami) for fanfic updates and other random Genikiro fic threads. Appreciate your support!!


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